1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding a member of the neuregulin family, to polypeptides encoded by the nucleic acid sequences, inhibitors thereof, including antibodies and receptors that bind such polypeptides, and to their use in the treatment of colon and pancreatic cancer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Neuregulins (NRGs) belong to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) superfamily and are discussed in Carraway and Burden, Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 5:1–7, 1995 and Yarden and Sliwkowski, Nature Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 2:127–137, 2001. There is a need in the art for agents and methods useful in modulating members of the NRG family. Due to their crucial roles in several essential cellular functions, including proliferation and differentiation, NRGs are important therapeutic targets for a number of indications, including cancer, heart disease, wound healing, neurodegenerative diseases, and brain injury.